Shocking.

I have been a loyal client of Santam for years, and after multiple experiences, I am honestly beyond disappointed with the way my claims have been handled. At this point, I would strongly caution anyone considering taking out insurance with them.

Every month the premiums are collected without fail, but when it comes time to actually claim for events that are completely outside of your control, the default response seems to be “wear and tear” or another technical reason to reject the claim.

A few years ago, after severe rainfall, the ground beneath my swimming pool shifted and caused the side of the pool to crack. This was clearly caused by ground movement after heavy rain — not something any homeowner could prevent or control. The claim was rejected as “wear and tear.” Apparently I was somehow expected to prevent the earth from moving underneath my paving and pool structure.

The second claim involved a roof leak. I had lived in the property for five years without any issues whatsoever, then after bad weather a leak developed. Once again, the claim was declined and labelled “wear and tear.”

Most recently, Cape Town experienced extreme storms where over a thousand trees were reportedly uprooted. During these storms, a section of my vibracrete wall blew over. Despite the obvious storm conditions, the claim was rejected with the explanation that the collapse was “not the result of a single and/or sudden insured event.”

What makes this even more frustrating is that my neighbour, who shares the exact same wall, submitted a claim through King Price Insurance and their claim was approved. Same storm. Same wall. Completely different outcome.

Another frustrating experience involved my geyser. Initially the claim was declined until I mentioned that the geyser was still under warranty — only then was it replaced. Two months later it started leaking again. When the technician inspected it, I was informed that there was actually nothing wrong with the new geyser itself. The installer had simply reused the old thermostat instead of fitting the new one and had apparently left the new thermostat sitting in the box in the roof. The technician replaced it immediately. That level of workmanship and oversight is unacceptable.

To make matters worse, after all of these declined claims, I was told that if I proceeded with the wall claim my premium could increase. That raises a very fair question: what exactly are clients paying insurance premiums for if claiming for genuine storm damage results in penalties or increased costs?

At this point, it genuinely feels like the company looks for reasons to avoid paying claims rather than supporting loyal clients during difficult situations. Based on my experiences, I would strongly recommend that anyone considering insurance carefully reviews alternatives before choosing Santam.